Tom Brady TD pass completes Patriots' miracle finish

FOXBORO — The Patriots' defense had one thing on its collective mind as time was ticking away in Sunday's showdown with the Saints at Gillette Stadium. "Get the ball back to Tom Brady as many times as possible," cornerback Kyle Arrington said.

FOXBORO — The Patriots' defense had one thing on its collective mind as time was ticking away in Sunday's showdown with the Saints at Gillette Stadium.

"Get the ball back to Tom Brady as many times as possible," cornerback Kyle Arrington said.

Led by cornerback Aqib Talib, who shadowed and shut down superb Saints tight end Jimmy Graham, New England's defense was passing its most stern test of the season for three-plus quarters. Then, quarterback Drew Brees went to work and led New Orleans on a go-ahead touchdown drive with 3:29 left. New Orleans added a field goal a minute later for a four-point lead and got the ball back with just over two minutes to go after a Brady interception.

"We've got to line back up and get the ball back," safety Devin McCourty said. "We have faith that when we get our offense the ball with time, we'll win the game."

The defense disposed of the Saints on a three-and-out, handed Brady the ball with 1:13 left — plenty of time — and he did his late-game thing, connecting with rookie wide receiver Kenbrell Thompkins for the winning touchdown with five seconds left.

"It's just special to have 12 on your team," Arrington said after the 30-27 win. "To witness that, it's just incredible. I was jumping for joy on the sideline."

The loss was the first for the Saints, who came into the game with one of the league's most potent offenses, but weren't demonstrating it early on.

Talib, whose assignments so far this season have included matching up against the Bucs' Vincent Jackson and Atlanta's Julio Jones, drew Graham, the NFL leader in receiving yardage who had gone over 100 yards in four straight games.

Brees targeted the 6-foot-7, 265-pound Graham six times. He finished without a catch.

"Aqib is a long, rangy guy himself," Arrington said, "so he can not only cover receivers, but tight ends as well, especially the athletic tight ends."

Saints coach Sean Payton thought the disruption with Graham started at the line of scrimmage.

"One thing they do a good job with is they disrupt you at the line of scrimmage better than anyone," Payton said. "They do a really good job of getting hands on receivers and tight ends. They are very well-coached. They are disciplined, and they did a good job of that."

Talib left the game in the third quarter with a hip injury and Graham later came out with an ankle injury.

The Patriots moved McCourty around and turned to rookies Logan Ryan and Duron Harmon when they went with some six defensive back packages late in the game.

"We just had to adjust," McCourty said. "Guys came in and stepped up."

After defensive end Chandler Jones had his first of two fourth-quarter sacks, Arrington intercepted a Brees pass intended for Graham. It marked the 33rd straight game the Patriots have come up with a turnover, the longest active streak in the NFL.

"I was trying to be as tight as I could on Graham," Arrington said. "Brees overthrew it a little bit. As big as Graham is, I just hoped he wasn't that big."

Arrington broke up a pass for Graham that Brees tried to force into triple coverage in the third quarter.

The Patriots held the Saints to 155 yards, seven points and six first downs in the first half.

"There were far too many three-and-outs," Brees said. "When you can't even get that first down, it's hard to get things going."

On the opening drive of the second half, Brees had consecutive completions to receiver Kenny Stills, running back Darren Sproles and tight end Benjamin Watson that led to a Garrett Hartley 28-yard field goal.

The Saints got their running game going a little bit later in the quarter and Khiry Robinson scored from 3 yards out to tie the score at 17-17. With Vince Wilfork and Tommy Kelly missing from the middle of the defense, the Saints managed 131 yards on the ground and Sproles had a team-high six catches.

After the Patriots took a 23-17 lead on a Stephen Gostkowski field goal midway through the fourth, Brees, on third-and-20, hit Stills with the 34-yard go-ahead TD pass.

"I just tried to use my eyes to manipulate the safety (Steve Gregory) a little bit to get as close to a one-on-one matchup out there as possible," Brees said. "I knew he would be getting over there late, but Kenny did a great job of getting by his guy (Alfonzo Dennard) and going up and making a play in the end zone."

Brees finished 17 for 36 for 236 yards.

"Obviously it wasn't a perfect game for us defensively," Arrington said, "but I'm proud of our guys. We fought all the way to the end."

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